Libanius, Letters (‘Codex Lincopiensis Meursianus’, ‘Codex Benzelianus A’)

Crete, latter half of the 15th or early 16th c.

paper

i, 99, i' leaves

285 × 205 mm

2 units

Greek

Unit 1

1 (pp. 1–20) Libanius, Epistulae Epistulae 1–37

Rubric: Λιβανίου κοιαίστορος, τοῦ σοφιστοῦ. ἐπιστολαί

Incipit: Εἴτε μὴ βοηθεῖς οἷς ἀξιοῦμεν

Explicit: πλεῖστά με εὐφράνας ἑταίρων ἐλύπησεν ἥκιστα.

Note:

The epistles in this part of the MS are numbered αʹ–λζʹ in the margin by the main scribe. The reference numbers, below, are from Richard Foerster’s edition.

(p. 1) 357; (p. 1) 1304; (pp. 1–2) 1154; (p. 2) 738; (pp. 2–3) 857; (p. 3) 132; (pp. 3–4) 355; (p. 4) 237; (p. 4) 253; (pp. 4–5) 688; (p. 5) 1060; (pp. 5–6) 248; (p. 6) 1039; (pp. 6–7) 1134; (pp. 7–8) 1411; (p. 8) 1397; (pp. 8–9) 909; (p. 9) 818; (pp. 9–10) 150; (p. 10) 121; (pp. 10–11) 359; (pp. 11–12) 796; (p. 12) 511; (pp. 12–13) 301; (p. 13) 1288; (p. 13) 323; (pp. 13–15) 578; (p. 15) 964; (p. 15) 20 (Ep. Bas. et Lib.); (pp. 15–16) 327; (pp. 16–17) 333; (p. 17) 746; (pp. 17–18) 331; (p. 18) 372; (p. 18) 809; (pp. 18–20) 369; (p. 20) 282.

Edition: Foerster (1903–1927).

Unit 2

1 (pp. 21–198) Libanius, Epistulae

Note:

Another 261 letters by Libanius; in this part of the MS they are not numbered. Reference numbers, below, pertain to Richard Foerster’s edition.

(pp. 21–22) 441; (p. 22) 409; (pp. 22–24) 435; (p. 24) 411; (pp. 24–25) 666; (pp. 25–26) 351; (p. 26) 355; (pp. 26–27) 808; (pp. 27–28) 1398; (p. 28) 440; (pp. 28–29) 442; (p. 29) 410; (pp. 30–31) 399; (p. 31) 432; (p. 31) 320; (pp. 31–32) 329; (p. 32) 337; (pp. 32–33) 356; (p. 33) 344; (p. 33) 323; (p. 33) 388; (p. 34) 393; (pp. 34–35) 25; (p. 35) 123; (pp. 35–36) 33; (p. 36) 30; (pp. 36–37) 361; (p. 37) 382; (pp. 37–38) 413; (p. 38) 387; (p. 38) 372; (pp. 38–39) 420; (p. 39) 422; (p. 39) 425; (p. 40) 455; (p. 40) 341; (p. 40) 460; (pp. 40–41) 468; (pp. 41–42) 386; (pp. 42–43) 319; (p. 43) 428; (pp. 43–44) 327; (p. 44) 1238; (pp. 44–45) 575; (pp. 45–46) 80; (pp. 46–47) 226; (pp. 47–48) 81; (p. 48) 1236; (pp. 48–49) 1395; (p. 49) 64; (pp. 49–50) 483; (p. 50) 491; (pp. 50–51) 499; (pp. 51–52) 497; (p. 52) 535; (pp. 52–53) 512; (pp. 53–54) 515; (p. 54) 1155; (pp. 54–55) 1218; (p. 55) 1304; (pp. 56–57) 1220; (pp. 57–58) 754; (p. 58) 424; (pp. 58–59) 436; (p. 59) 453; (p. 59) 465; (pp. 59–60) 324; (p. 60) 347; (p. 60) 408; (pp. 60–61) 429; (pp. 61–63) 390; (pp. 63–66) 19; (pp. 66–67) 352; (pp. 67–68) 358; (p. 68) 365; (pp. 68–69) 366; (pp. 69–70) 49; (pp. 70–72) 636; (p. 72) 384; (p. 72) 389; (pp. 72–73) 367; (pp. 73–75) 348 (Expl. mut: γῆρας· ἐκεῖνον μὲν οὖν. The note follows: quae heic desunt supplevi possunt ex Codice Rolamb. Ep. 74. Some blank lines (the model must have been faulty here). ); (p. 75) 311; (pp. 75–76) 423; (p. 76) 314; (pp. 76–77) 362; (pp. 78–79) 379; (p. 79) 332; (pp. 79–80) 315; (pp. 80–81) 312; (pp. 81–82) 316; (pp. 82–83) 336; (p. 83) 380; (p. 83) 317; (pp. 83–84) 685; (pp. 84–85) 363; (p. 85) 58; (pp. 85–86) 21; (pp. 86–87) 242; (pp. 87–88) 269; (pp. 88–89) 696; (pp. 89–90) 734; (pp. 90–92) 620; (pp. 92–93) 819; (pp. 93–94) 35; (pp. 94–95) 238; (pp. 95–98) 391; (p. 98) 68; (pp. 98–99) 122; (p. 99) 143; (pp. 99–100) 72; (pp. 100–101) 89; (pp. 101–102) 93; (p. 102) 103; (pp. 102–103) 756; (pp. 103–104) 773; (pp. 104–106) 741; (pp. 106–107) 797; (p. 107) 349; (p. 107) 830; (pp. 107–108) 965; (pp. 108–109) 736; (p. 109) 91; (pp. 109–110) 318; (p. 110) 606; (pp. 110–111) 1160; (pp. 111–112) 300; (pp. 112–113) 673; (p. 113) 46; (pp. 113–114) 354; (p. 114) 573; (pp. 114–115) 842; (p. 115) 768; (p. 116) 288; (pp. 116–117) 86; (p. 117) 175; (pp. 117–118) 670; (p. 118) 1305; (pp. 118–119) 632; (pp. 119–120) 195; (p. 120) 795; (pp. 120–121) 847; (p. 121) 732; (pp. 121–122) 764; (pp. 122–123) 52; (p. 123) 1205; (p. 123) 837; (p. 123) 836; (p. 124) 650; (pp. 124–125) 651; (p. 125) 725; (pp. 125–126) 762; (pp. 126–127) 1350; (pp. 127–128) 66; (pp. 128–129) 95; (pp. 129–130) 1133; (p. 130) 780; (pp. 130–131) 737; (p. 131) 776; (pp. 131–132) 743; (p. 132) 1201; (p. 132) 74; (p. 133) 1150; (pp. 133–134) 1163; (p. 134) 646; (pp. 134–135) 839; (p. 135) 1293; (pp. 135–136) 518; (p. 136) 1352; (pp. 136–137) 738; (p. 137) 542; (pp. 137–138) 281; (pp. 138–139) 664; (p. 139) 660; (pp. 139–140) 1200; (p. 140) 871; (pp. 140–141) 669; (pp. 141–142) 62; (pp. 142–143) 359; (p. 143) 832; (pp. 143–144) 789; (p. 144) 920; (p. 144) 1136; (p. 144) 1138; (p. 144) 1142; (pp. 144–145) 1149; (p. 145) 1152; (p. 145) 740; (p. 145) 690; (p. 145) 684; (pp. 145–146) 618; (p. 146) 1404; (p. 146) 525; (pp. 146–147) 1131; (p. 147) 1134; (p. 147) 1137; (pp. 147–148) 1145; (p. 148) 20; (pp. 148–149) 40; (pp. 150–151) 44; (p. 151) 47; (pp. 151–152) 48; (pp. 152–153) 50; (p. 153) 51; (pp. 153–155) 61; (pp. 155–156) 73; (p. 156) 101; (p. 157) 107; (pp. 157–158) 112; (pp. 158–159) 815; (p. 159) 345; (p. 159) 431; (pp. 159–160) 325; (p. 160) 841; (pp. 160–161) 404; (p. 161) 32; (p. 161) 807; (pp. 161–162) 792; (p. 162) 748; (pp. 162–163) 326; (pp. 163–164) 334; (pp. 164–165) 364; (p. 165) 368; (pp. 165–167) 371; (p. 167) 377; (pp. 167–168) 378; (p. 168) 381; (pp. 168–169) 385; (pp. 169–170) 400; (p. 170) 503; (pp. 170–171) 509; (pp. 171–172) 510; (pp. 172–173) 516; (pp. 173–174) 552; (pp. 174–175) 560; (pp. 175–176) 561; (pp. 176–177) 562; (pp. 177–178) 563; (pp. 178–179) 694; (pp. 179–180) 695; (p. 180) 8; (p. 180) 60; (pp. 180–182) 114; (p. 182) 115; (pp. 182–184) 119; (p. 184) 127; (pp. 184–185) 128; (p. 185) 130; (pp. 185–186) 150; (p. 186) 164; (pp. 186–187) 173; (pp. 187–188) 182; (p. 188) 184; (pp. 188–190) 192; (p. 190) 220; (pp. 190–191) 256; (pp. 191–192) 376; (p. 192) 375; (pp. 193–194) 374; (pp. 194–195) 330; (pp. 195–197) 405.

p. 198 is blank.

Edition: Foerster (1903–1927).

Physical Description

Support

Watermark 2

Locus: pp. 23–24/67–68,

Motif: Hand

similar to Harlfinger, no. 10 1491 Antonios Damilas

Watermark 3

Locus: pp. 58–59/93–94/139–140/173–174,

Motif: Hand

very similar to Harlfinger, no. 25 1491 Antonios Damilas

Note: These two watermarks are present throughout the second codicological unit; the pages given are just examples.

Foliation

Pagination in ink in the upper outer corner, just above the first line of text: 1–198

Collation

Unit 1

Formula: _Q1V^p.20

Signatures: In the lower center margin of first recto: αʹ

Catchwords: none

Unit 2

Formula: _Q2–1010.IV^p.198 + _Q11(IV+1^p.191–192)^p.198

Signatures: none

Catchwords: none

Condition

Unit 2

On pp. 192–193, 197, part of the text has been crossed out and new pieces of paper been pasted over, probably to correct some scribal mistakes or duplications.

Layout

Unit 1

Locus: pp. 1–20

Columns: 1

Written lines: 30

Written area: 200 × 120 mm

Unit 2

Locus: pp. 21–198

Columns: 1

Written lines: 29–31

Written area: 200 × 120 mm

Script

Unit 1

Hand 1

⟨Michael Apostolis⟩; cf. Vat. Urb. gr. 127, .

Unit 2

Hand 2

(pp. 21–43) The beta in this hand is small and self-contained (a ‘cuore’).

Hand 3

(pp. 43–192) The beta in this hand has a curved tail bent upwards.

Hand 4

(pp. 193–197) ⟨Antonios Damilas⟩ Single words by this hand are found also on (pp. 80–81) and (p. 90).

Additions

Binding/Endleaves

(LCI) Shelfmark numbers and a label for Linköping Diocesan Library. (ff. SL1r–SL1v) Blank endleaf, except for an owner’s signature on the recto.

(ff. SR1r–SR1v, RCI–RCI) Blank endleaves

Unit 1

There are marginal annotations in Greek and Latin by various hands and in various shades of brown or greyish-brown ink.

Unit 2

A recent hand has drawn crosses in ink besides the beginning of each letter, and some annotations of contents e.g. (p. 85). The same or another hand has drawn pointing hands.

Decorations

Unit 1

Description:

The scribe uses a dull reddish brown ink for his elaborate penflourished initials and numbers, as well as for enlarged dots used as dividers for the insertion of the addressee’s name.

Unit 2

Description:

No rubrication. Initials missing or added secondarily.

Binding

Description:

Parchment laced-case binding over pasteboard, sewn on four supports. Tail endband oversewn with green silk; head endband missing due to spine damage. Handwritten spine title and label. Warped.

Binding dimensions: 285 × 210 × 30 mm

Condition: In good condition except for the top of the spine, where there is rodent damage; a rectangle of modern paper has restored a portion of the top margin of pp. 1–2, cut out (presumably in order to eliminate marks of ownership). The paper is stained in various places, e.g. at pp. 8–9, and the outer margin of pp. 17–105. pp. 179–189, are markedly stained by water damage. The first few lines at pp. 106–107 are stained in light brown. Some modern paper reinforcements in the fold of the first few quires.